Battle lines erupt over K’gari dingo cull following Canadian backpacker’s death – with Indigenous owners furious they weren’t consulted
The family of a young woman whose body was mauled by dingoes has spoken out, alongside an Indigenous group, against plans to euthanise the wild dogs.
The body of Piper James, 19, was discovered near the Maheno Shipwreck on K’gari, formerly Fraser Island, shortly after she went for a morning swim on Monday, January 19.
An autopsy found the Canadian backpacker had ‘physical evidence consistent with drowning’ and ‘injuries consistent with dingo bites’, meaning she likely drowned but was attacked by dingoes before she died.
The Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science, and Innovation on Sunday said a cull of the dingoes involved was underway.
It’s understood six dingoes were ‘humanely euthanised’ on Sunday and 10 more will be destroyed.
The operation marks the first major cull since 2001, which was triggered by the death of nine-year-old Clinton Gage who was killed in a dingo attack near Waddy Point – also on K’gari.
Then, a total of 31 dingoes were euthanised.
Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation (BAC) director and secretary Christine Royan fumed that K’gari’s traditional owners were not informed about the cull, after she previously slammed Premier David Crisafulli for failing to visit the island since taking the job.
Piper James (pictured) drowned and was bitten by dingoes on K’gari, formerly Fraser Island
Authorities have euthanised six dingoes and will cull another 10
The traditional owner said the behaviour of the dingoes pointed to a larger issue of too many people visiting the island at once – and that issue was being overlooked.
‘We’re going to have a big meeting of our people,’ Ms Royan told the Courier Mail.
‘BAC directors will be discussing with Queensland Parks and Wildlife certain parts of the island that need to be closed down with regards to visitor management.
‘Over the long weekend, Lake Boorangoora was overpopulated, too many people were there, it was just crowded.’
She claimed the cull was evidence Queensland Parks and Wildlife ‘do not know what they are doing’.
The Department of Environment, Tourism, Science, and Innovation extended its sympathies to Ms James’ family and said rangers were closely monitoring the dingoes involved.
‘Following the initial autopsy findings, this pack’s involvement in the incident, and observations since, this pack has been deemed an unacceptable public safety risk,’ it said.
‘Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) Rangers are currently implementing actions accordingly.
Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation director and secretary Christine Royan (pictured) claimed Indigenous owners of the island were not informed of the cull
‘There is no public safety risk during this process. Dingoes involved in Monday’s incident will be humanely euthanised.’
Tourism minister Andrew Powell said it was a ‘tough decision’ but the ‘right call in the public interest’.
‘This tragedy has deeply affected Queenslanders and touched the hearts of people around the world,’ Mr Powell said.
‘I have been kept briefed by my Department throughout this incident. The Department has made the decision that all dingoes involved in the incident will be removed and humanely euthanised.
‘K’gari Fraser Island remains open, and we are supporting our tourism operators as they continue to showcase the Fraser Coast as an incredible place to visit.’
Ms James’ father, Todd, said he was disappointed to hear that the dingoes would be killed.
‘This evening (Saturday), my wife and I received a phone call from the Australian police department in Brisbane, informing us that the attached news media would be released today,’ he wrote online.
‘Simply sad, heart-wrenching information. We are still waiting for the final autopsy report!’
Ms James’ (pictured) parents said she would be devastated to hear the dingoes were killed
Her mother, Angela, said Ms James would also be heartbroken to hear of the dingoes’ deaths.
‘Her father and I would like to stress that (a cull) is the last thing Piper would want,’ Angela told the ABC.
‘She loved all animals, no matter what.
‘She wouldn’t want anything done to [the dingoes]; they were there first. She knew that.’
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been launched to help repatriate Ms James’ body to Canada.
